Lost in the Linsanity: An Editorial

This is Jeremy Lin, that's all that's going on in sports. Right?
(Reuters/ Mike Segar)

Right now, you can't turn on the television or radio without hearing about Jeremy Lin. The Harvard graduate has taken the sports world by storm and has done so at a very opportune time. Let me just say that I am Linsane in the membrane. I'm Rush Linbaugh. This time of year, the sports world is starving for stories and Jeremy Lin has been what is holding the 24 hour sports cycle together. Lin is a special talent and I will say my piece on him, but here is what you may be missing in the world of sports if all you hear is Jeremy Lin.


Red Wings Dominate at Home
The Detroit Red Wings have not lost a game at home since November 3rd. The Wings have rattled off 23 consecutive wins and go for #24 tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. While turning Joe Louis Arena into Fort Neverlose, the Red Wings have earned the best record in hockey. Their home winning streak has been a big part of that as on the road, Detroit is a sub .500 team. It will be interesting to see if they can continue their winning ways without the continued services of assist leader, Pavel Datsyuk.

Coming into town, the Canucks boast a great road record, 20-10-2. Vancouver will be the toughest test in JLA until the Chicago Blackhawks come back into town. If they make it to that point with the home winning streak still in tact, the Wings will attempt to set the all time record for most consecutive home wins across sports against the last team to beat them.

Hope Springs Eternal at Spring Training
Pitchers and catchers have already reported to baseball's spring training and the rest of the players are filtering in. All eyes will be on newcomers such as Yu Darvish, but what interests me is the players trying to make another run at one last summer in the sun.

49 year old Jamie Moyer is trying to get on with the Colorado Rockies. Moyer has 260 wins on his career and feels he can contribute both on and off the field. He's going to have a chance to make it, as the pitching staff for the Rockies are comprised of mostly new faces from the off season. According to the Washington Post, Moyer has already been establishing himself as a clubhouse leader, teaching the former American league pitchers on staff the nuances of hitting and bunting.

In the American League, making a less auspicious return is Manny Ramirez. General Manager Billy Beane haas described the signing of Ramirez as "low risk" but critics haven't been as kind to the signing. ManRam's best years are behind him and he still must serve a 50 game suspension from his positive PED test. The signing is nothing new in the home of Moneyball where aging sluggers have spent their last seasons, often without impact on the roster.

Heat Leading the League
Even within the same league, there are stories that are being missed in the Linsanity. The Miami Heat are playing great basketball and it seems the chemistry between the big three is working. They are tied for the best record in the league with the Oklahoma City Thunder at a 26-7 mark. The two squads look like they are in an early collision course in the Finals.

The only teams that look like they could challenge the Heat and Thunder respectively are the Bulls and the Spurs. The Spurs themselves have put on quite a winning streak, at one point rattling off 11 consecutive victories to propel themselves to the top of their division. Tony Parker has been unconscious, leading the aging roster on one last journey against time and trying to get to the Finals, themselves. This could be the effect of the lockout shortened season benefiting the teams who had established chemistry over the years and know how to rev themselves up to make a run.

The Bulls, lead by reigning MVP Derrick Rose go into the break with a 5 game lead on the second place Pacers. The Bulls lost a close one against the Heat in their first match up on the road. The teams have three more meetings in what will decide who the king of the East is going into the playoffs.


Finally, Jeremy Lin
A lot has already been said about Jeremy Lin. I haven't watched many of his games but from what I've seen, I know this. The guy can play ball. The biggest knock on him so far is that he turns the ball over too much. In his 10 games he has had 56 turnovers which is most ever for a player in their first ten games. However, stats don't matter. Wins do. The Knicks are shooting 15% better from the floor when he's out there and they are winning games. Before Lin, the Knicks were looking at the lottery once again but with him at the helm, they are in the playoffs at the midway point.

Now that Carmelo Anthony has returned, I would expect Lin's production to go down some but overall I think his return will be good for the Knicks in the long run. Anthony provides something that no one else on the team can. Anthony is a strong player and can get to the rim out of his small forward position. What separates him from his teammates is his willingness to create difficult points, especially late in games. I think that with Anthony back in the lineup, the Knicks can make some serious noise moving into the second half of the season. Right now, New York is the hottest team in their division and if they continue to play like they have been playing the past 3 weeks, they will win the Atlantic Division.

Drop the puck, let's play hockey.

Hoisting the Stanley Cup is a big deal.
Barbara Johnston-US Presswire

Stepping out from behind the keyboard, I just want to say I love hockey. I wish more people watched and liked hockey so it would get more TV time and so more people could watch and like hockey and the cycle would continue. With the impending lockout in the NBA, it's going to leave us with only one professional sport. Hockey. Often times, I find that people dismiss hockey because it's difficult for them to follow, or they don't understand what's going on. I hope to explain some of the rules and nuances of the game so maybe you'll consider flicking on a Sunday morning game when the NFL is done playing football.

Goals

It may seem simple but I feel the need to explain this. Hockey is more like soccer than it is football in respect to scoring. By this I mean the entire puck has to cross the goal line instead of like football where only part of the ball has to cross the line. Once the entire puck is in the goal, a point is awarded.

What the heck is "icing?"

Icing is when a player shoots the puck across both the center red line and the opposing team's goal line without the puck going into the net or being able to be touched by an opposing player in their neutral or defensive zones. If an offensive player touches the puck first after it crosses both the red line and the goal line, icing is negated. Icing can also be negated by the goalie touching the puck back behind the goal line. When icing occurs, a linesman stops play. Play is resumed with a face off in the defending zone of the team that "iced the puck." Another time when icing is nullified is when a team is on a "power play" (which will be explained next,) the defending team can send the puck down the ice to stop the man advantage.

Power Play

A power play occurs when one team has more players on the ice than the other team as a result of penalties assessed to the shorthanded team. A power play can end one of two ways. Either the clock (usually 2 minutes) expires, or the team with more players scores a goal.

Offsides

If a player enters the attacking zone ahead of the puck but does not touch it, the play is offside but no whistle is blown immediately, thus creating a delayed offside. When all players from the offside team leave their offensive zone and go into the neutral zone the linesman cancels the offside infraction. Conversely, if the offending team touches the puck before leaving their offensive zone the whistle is blown for the offside infraction.

Hat Trick
When one player scores three goals in one game.

Why do people throw octopus onto the ice?

According to answers.com, it started during the 1952 Stanley Cup Playoffs. At that time there were only 6 teams, and to win the Stanley Cup required 8 playoff victories (two best of seven series). The owner of a local fish shop in Detroit threw an octopus onto the ice claiming that the 8 tentacles represented the 8 games that the Red Wings would win to get the Stanley Cup. The Wings won the Cup, and the tradition of using an Octopus to rally the Red Wings was born.

These are some real basic rules but I find some of the most confusing. I hope you tune in to a few games and enjoy one of the most fast paced sports in existence. It's fast, fun and great entertainment.